Wiggle track section

ABSTRACT

The combination of a track having a center line and a track section for retarding the acceleration of a railroad vehicle which is rolling at an initial velocity on the track is disclosed. The track section has a first curved wiggle section connected to the track as a continuation of the track. The first curved wiggle section bends away from one side of the center line of the track and then bends back to the center line of the track. A reverse curved wiggle section is connected to the first curved wiggle section as a continuation of the first curved wiggle section. The reverse curved wiggle section bends away from the other side of the center line of the track and then bends back to the center line of the track, so that: 1. THE PRESSURE OF THE FLANGES OF THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE ON THE RAILS OF THE TRACK SECTION; 2. THE SKEWING OF THE TRUCKS OF THE VEHICLE; AND 3. THE VARYING OF THE LOCATION OF THE PRESSURE OF THE BEARINGS OF THE VEHICLE ON THE AXLE OF THE VEHICLE; RETARD THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE WHILE THE VEHICLE MOVES THROUGH THE TRACK SECTION.

United States Patent [191 Beck et al.

[ 1 Nov. 19, 1974 WIGGLE TRACK SECTION [75] Inventors: Richard F. Beck,Olympia Fields;

Louis T. Cerny, Tinley Park, both of I11.

[73] Assignee: Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 343,901

[52] US. Cl 104/26 A, 188/33, 246/182 A [51] Int. Cl B61k 7/00 [58]Field of Search..... 104/26 R, 26 A; 246/182 A;

2,952,411 9/1960 Hand 238/121 Primary Examiner-M. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant.Examiner-George H. Libman [57] ABSTRACT The combination of atrack having a center line and a track section for retarding theacceleration of a railroad vehicle which is rolling at an initialvelocity on the track is disclosed. The track section has a first curvedwiggle section connected to the track as a continuation of the track.The first curved wiggle section bends away from one side of the centerline of the track and then bends back to the center line of the track.reverse EuWedwiggle section is connected to the first curved wigglesection as a continuation of the first curved wiggle section. Thereverse curved wiggle section bends away from the other side of thecenter line of the track and then bends back to the center line of thetrack, so that:

1. the pressure of the flanges of the wheels of the vehicle on the railsof the track section; 2. the skewing of the trucks of the vehicle; and3. the varying of the location of the pressure of the bearings of thevehicle on the axle of the vehicle;

retard the acceleration of the vehicle while the vehicle moves throughthe track section.

15 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTEL 548V 1 9 I974 SHEEI 5 OF 6 FIG:/7

new

R wmamtc $3 um PATENTLLNSV 191914 5 550 0,4- 04/? (MPH) 3.848.534 SHEET50F 6 FIG. /8-

SPEED OF 64/? nccamnnma 47' 00/75 FT/SECZ (72 our OF 459 cms 0/v TRACKEXCEEOED rH/s FIGURE) SPEED AT 3200' REDUCED FROM 8.2 7'0 4.0 MPH SPEED47' I600 REDUCED FROM 6.5 70 4.0 MPH SPEED OF SAME CAR WITH 200 OF /2"W/GGLE EVER) 400' FEET mom START BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore,in many railroad yards, the tracks down which cars are allowed to rollby themselves when being sorted (classification tracks) have a grade(incline) which was originally designed to keep cars rolling withoutspeeding up or slowing down.

The design of railroad cars has improved over the years, so that theyroll more easily. A newer car would start to accelerate down a gradewhich would not cause a car designed 15 or more years ago to speed up.Thus, the problem is that in many older classification yards, cars arespeeding up and coupling to other cars at too high a speed, causingdamage to cars and loads (lading).

Due to these problems with car and lading damage, it has becomenecessary to prevent acceleration of cars on hump yard tracks afterleaving the final retarder. This acceleration was causing unacceptablyhigh cou- 'pling speeds with cars already standing on the track. Thehump yard body tracks have, for example, grades of about 0.20 percent(i.e., about 0.2 feet change in elevation for 100 longitudinal feet oftrack). With many newer cars and some older cars with lubrication pads,these grades have caused acceleration. Even if the cars leave the lastretarder at very low speed, an easy-rolling car could be going over mph.by the time it coupled to a car at the far end of the track. Forexample,

with a car having a total rolling resistance of 16 lbs. per ton (aneasy-rolling roller-bearing car) on a 0.20 percent grade, anacceleration of 0.039 feet per'second per second can be expected. Atthis acceleration the speed would increase from about 4 m.p.h., (therecommended maximum coupling speed at which the car leaves the lastretarder) to about 10.3 mph. 2,500

feet further down the track. With a tail wind the accel- I eration couldbe greater. These facts do not indicate an original deficiency in thedesign of a yard which may have been built around 1950. It is basicallythat cars have changed and have been made to roll easier by rollerbearings and lubrication pads and also by better center platelubrication thereby causing less binding of the trucks on curves. Dataobtained over the years has shown this improvement in rollability.

Another factor is the length of classification tracks in the hump yard.Because they also serve as departure tracks, they are quite long andthis increases the velocity which cars can achieve accelerating down agrade.

A standard solution to the acceleration problem would be to change thegrade of the body tracks to a figure of about 0.08 percent (i.e., about0.08 foot change in elevation for 100 longitudinal feet of track). Thiswould be an expensive procedure costing about $2,000,000, since some ofthe tracks are over 4,000 feet long, and would involve raising the levelof the tracks about five feet. Inert retarders placed at intervals oneach track would also help, but with, for example, about 57 tracks in ahump yard this would involve considerable expense and maintenanceproblems. Several years previous, weigh-responsive retarders were triedwith no satisfactory effect.

We are aware of the following prior art:

U.S. Patent No. Inventor Issued Class 11,650 MORSS 9/5/54 1,749,803DEACON 3 H30 1,776,107 DEACON 9/16/30 1,776,108 DEACON 9/16/30 OBJECTSOF THE INVENTION It is the general object of this invention to avoid andovercome the foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to priorart practices by the provision of an improved track section incombination with a track which:

a. makes unnecessary extensive grading and disruption of tracks whichwould be needed to achieve the same reduction in acceleration bychanging the grade of the tracks;

b. prevents excess acceleration, reduces damage caused by impacts of onecar with another at too high a velocity, thus preventing damage to carsand lading;

c. is easily and inexpensively installed by existing machinery nownormally used for keeping tracks straight and smooth for high-speedoperation;

d. can be modified without requiring new material if more or lessretardation is needed in future, because (except for the kinked railembodiment) the rail is not permanently bent; and

e. can usually be installed on existing tracks without requiring anychange in adjacent tracks.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforesaid objects of this invention,and other objects which will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, are achieved by providing the combination of a track having acenter line and a track section for retarding the acceleration of arailroad vehicle which is rolling at an initial velocity on the track.The track section has a first curved wiggle section connected to thetrack as a continuation of the track. The first curved wiggle sectionbends away from one side of the center line of the track and then bendsback to the center line of the track. A reverse curved wiggle section isconnected to the first curved wiggle section as a continuation of thefirst curved wiggle section. The reverse curved wiggle section bendsaway from the other side of the center line of the track and then bendsback to the center line of the track, so that:

l. the pressure of the flanges of the wheels of the vehicle on the railsof the track section;

2. the skewing of the trucks of the vehicle; and

3. the varying of the location of the pressure of the bearings of thevehicle on the axle of the vehicle;

retard the acceleration of the vehicle while the vehicle moves throughthe track section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS For a betterunderstanding of this invention, reference should be made to theaccompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicatesimilar parts through the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a railroad classification yardshowing the hump, the switches for conducting a rolling car from themain track along auxiliary tracks and through additional switches to abody track containing the improved track section of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of FIG. 1 showing themain track, the hump and the auxiliary tracks leading to the particularbody track containing the track section of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic plan view of a one embodiment of animproved track section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 in thedirection of the arrows; and having a total length of about 250 feet andabout a 3 curve, and a length of about 50 feet and a deflection of about2 inches in each first curved wiggle section and in each reverse curvedwiggle section.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic plan view of the first curved wigglesection shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of another embodiment of the improvedtrack section having about a 6 curve, wherein each first curved wigglesection and reverse wiggle section has a length of about 36.2 inches anda deflection of about 2 inches;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of another embodiment of the improvedtrack section having about a 12 curve wherein each first curved wigglesection and reverse wiggle section has a length of about 25 feet and adeflection of about 2 inches;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of another alternative embodiment ofthe track section showing a plurality of kinks connected by straightrail sections in the first curved wiggle section and reverse curvedwiggle section, the improved track section having an equivalentcurvature of about 26 and a deflection of about 2 inches;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a straight track, a straighttrack wiggle section and a straight other track as a continuation of astraight track section;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing straight track, a straighttrack wiggle section and a curved other track;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing a straight track, a curvedtrack wiggle section and a curved other track;

FIG. II is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing a curved track, a curvedtrack wiggle section and a curved other track;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing a flat track, aflat track wiggle section and a flat other track;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing the track on an upgrade,the track wiggle section on an upgrade and other track on an upgrade;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 13 showing the track on a downgrade,the track wiggle section on a upgrade and the other track on adowngrade;

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 14 showing the track on a curvedupgrade, the track wiggle section on a curved downgrade and the othertrack on a curved uprade; g FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIG. 15 showingthe track on a straight upgrade, the track wiggle section on a straightdowngrade and the other track on a straight downgrade; FIG. 17 is a bargraph showing the percent of cars which accelerated on consecutivestraight portions of track as compared with the percent of cars whichaccelerated on about 12 track sections having a length of about 150feet; on about 6 curved track sections having a length of about 300feet; on about 3 track sections having a length of about 300 feet; andon about 26 kinked track sections having length of about 39 feet; and

FIG. 18 is a graph utilizing feet from a starting point (at which thecars are going about 4 mph.) as an abscissa and the velocity of the carin m.p.h. as an ordinate and showing in the solid line curve theacceleration of the cars tested on a conventional track not having thewiggle curve track, and showing in the dotted line curve, what wouldhave happened to the cars if the wiggle curve track section had beeninstalled in such track.

Although the principles of this invention are broadly applicable torailroad track in general this invention is particularly adapted for usein conjunction with a classification yard for sorting and directingrailroad cars and hence it has been so illustrated and will be sodescribed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With specific reference to the form of thisinvention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly toFIG. 1, 2, a portion of a railroad classification yard for sorting anddirecting railroad cars (not shown) is indicated generally by thereference numeral 10.

This railroad classification yard 10 may consist of, for example, a maintrack 12 (FIGS. 1, 2) which moves up a hump 14 (FIGS. 1, 2) where theindividual railroad cars, (not shown) to be sorted and directed areweighed on a scale 15 (FIGS. 1, 2) and are uncoupled from the adjacentcar or cars (not shown) so that the uncoupled car (not shown) rolls downthe downgrade 16 (FIGS. 1, 2) of the main track 12 through retarders 18(FIGS. 1, 2) and through a switch S1 (FIGS. 1, 2) on an auxiliary track20 (FIGS. 1, 2), through another switch S2 (FIGS. 1, 2) onto a bodytrack Tl containing the improved track section 30 of the presentinvention. These track retarders 18 may be of the type manufactured byGeneral Railway Signal Company, Rochester, N.Y., or may be track skatesof the type manufactured by Track Specialties Company, Box 729,Westport, Conn.

These body tracks T1 through T9 are numbered from the bottom to the topof FIG. 1. Each improved track section 30 may, for example, but not byway of limitation, has a total length L, of about 250 feet (FIGS. 1, 3)and be separated from each other by conventional track sections 31 ofthe body tracks Tl-T9 having a length L of about 250 feet (FIG. 1).

TRACK SECTION 30 The invention relates to a track including the tracks12, 16, 20 (FIGS. 1, 2) and a conventional portion 31 of (for example),the body track Tl, having a center line AA (FIG. 3) and the plurality ofseparated track the track portion 31, the rails of the track remaininggenerally parallel, and then bends back to such center ..n., AA.flhetrasls 291E993. 9f he bod @9 5 T As shown in FIG. 3, the firstcurved wiggle sections 32 are connected to a reverse curved wigglesection 34 as a continuation of an adjacent first curved wiggle sections32. Each reversed wiggle section 34 (FIG. 3) bends away from the otherside (in this case the lower side) of the center line AA of theconventional portion 31 of the body track T1 the rails of the trackremaining generally parellel, and then bends back to the center line AAof the conventional portion of the body track Tl.

If for example, it is necessary to couple a rolling car (not shown) witha stationary car or slow moving car (not shown) in the improved tracksection 30, it is essential that the deviation X (FIGS. 3, 4) of thetrack section 30 be not greater than about 2 inches. Accordingly, thetrack section 30 shown in FIG. 3 having a total length L, of about 250feet is divided, for example, into three first curved wiggle sections 32connected by two reversed curved wiggle sections 34, each having alength L of about 50 feet, a deflection X of about 2 inches, about a 3curve and a radius of about 1910.1 feet.

A 3 curve is defined by the angle y 3 (FIG. 4) formed by theintersection of a tangent, for example, to the starting point A, of afirst curved wiggle section 32 and another tangent to such first wigglesection 32 at the termination point B, where points A, and B, are about100 feet apart or the length L of such first curved wiggle section 32 isIQQ feet. However, in FIG. 3,

the vehicle V on the rails of the track section 30; the skewing of thetrucks (not curved of the vehicle and the varying of the location of thepressure of the bearings (not shown) of the vehicle on the axle (notshown) of the vehicle reduce the acceleration of the vehicle while itmoves through the track section 30.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS It will be understood by those skilled in theart that alternatively as shown in FIG. 5, a track section 30 has firstcurved wiggle sections 32 and reversed wiggle sections 34, each having alength L of about 36.2 feet and a deflection X of about 2 inches, aradius of about 955.4 feet and about a 6 curve.

The track section 30 shown in FIG. 6 has about a 12 curve and the firstcurved wiggle sections 32 and the reverse curved wiggle sections 34eachhave a length L of about 25 feet, a deflection X of about 2 inchesand a radius of about 478.34 feet.

As shown in FIG. 7 a pair of rails 36, each having a length L, of about39 feet and the track section 30 having kinked lengths of L equal about6 feet, L, equal about 10 feet, and end sections L, equal about 2.5feet. The rails 36 are kinked at K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, K6 to form thefirst curved wiggle section 32 and the reverse wiggle section 34 Thistrack section 30" is equivalent 'to about a 26 curve and has adeflection X of about 2 inches.

TABLE I SUMMARY OF DATA (26 Equivalent) Note: All Track Sections 30Tested were about 300 Lon:

where the length L of the sections 32, 34 is feet, the total deflectionangle of each such section is l.5.

Each reversed curved wiggle section 34 (FIG. 3) is connected to anadjacent first curved wiggle section 32 as a continuation of such firstcarved wiggle section 32. Each reversed curved wiggle section 34 bendsaway from the other side (the lower side as shown in FIG. 3) of thecenter line AA of the conventional track portion 31 0f the body track T1and then bends back to the center line AA of the conventional trackportion 31 of the body track Tl.

OPERATION It is believed that when a railroad vehicle V is rolling at aparticular velocity on the track section 30, the pressure of theflanges(not shown) of the wheels W of HER-AQERHATIYELEMEQDIMEEIS As shown inthe plan view of FIG. 8, the track 31 preceding the track section 30 maybe straight. The track section 30 may be straight and another track 31aon the left-hand end of the track section 30 may also be straight.

In FIG. 9, the track 31 may be straight; the track section 30 may bestraight; and the other track 31a may be curved:

FIG. 10 shows a straight track 31 a curved track section 30" and acurved other track 31a In FIG. 11 the track 31 is curved; the tracksection :30 is curved; and the other track 31a is also curved.

In the side elevational view of FIG. 12 a flat track 31 a flat tracksection 30, and a flat other track 31a are shown separated by points ofinflection or separation 1,.

FIG. 13 shows a track 31 on an upgrade, a track section 30" on anupgrade and another track 31a on an upgrade.

In FIG. 14 the track 31 is on a downgrade; the track section 30 is on anupgrade; and the other track 31a is on a downgrade.

In FIG. 15 the track 31 is curved upwardly on an upgrade; the tracksection 30 is curved downwardly on a downgrade; and the track 31a iscurved upwardly on an upgrade.

FIG. 16 shows a generally straight track 31 on an upgrade; a generallystraight track section 30 on a downgrade; and a generally straight othertrack 31a on a downgrade.

SUMMARY OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It will berecognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of thisinvention have been achieved by providing an improved track section 30,FIGS. 1, 2, 3, etc., in combination with a track 31, which combinationmakes unnecessary any extensive grading or disruption of existing trackwhich would be needed to achieve the same reduction in the accelerationof rolling cars V by changing the grade of the tracks; which preventsexcessive acceleration, reduces damage caused by the impacting of onecar with another car at excessive speed thus preventing damage to thecars and lading contained therein; which provides an easy andinexpensive installation by existing conventional rail forming machinesnormally used for keeping the tracks straight and smooth for high speedoperation; which can be modified without the use of new material as moreor less retardation needed and can usually be installed on existingtracks without any change in adjacent tracks.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred and alternativeembodiments of this invention have been illustrated and described indetail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto or thereby.

We claim:

1. In combination, with a rolling rail vehicle of the type having wheelsfor riding on a track and rolling free of the engine, such as in arailroad classification yard, the improvement which comprises:

a first curved wiggle section having generally parallel rails connectedto said track as a continuation of said track;

said first curved wiggle section bending away from one side of saidcenter line of said track and then bending back to said center line ofsaid track;

a reverse curved wiggle section having generally parallel railsconnected to said first curved wiggle section as a continuation of saidfirst curved wiggle section;

said reverse curved wiggle section bending away from the other side ofsaid center line of said track and then bending back to said center lineof said track;

so that the pressure of the flanges of the wheels of said vehicle on therails of said track section; the skewing of the trucks of said vehicle;and the varying of the location of the pressure of the bearings of saidvehicle on the axle of said vehicle; retard the acceleration of saidvehicle while said vehicle moves through said wiggle section.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is straight.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is curved.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 and having another track connectedto said reverse curved wiggle section.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track isstraight.

6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track iscurved.

7. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is on a levelgrade.

8. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is on anincline.

9. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is on anupgrade.

10. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track section is ona level grade.

11. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track section is onan incline.

12. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track is on alevel grade.

13. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track is on anincline.

14. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said first curved wigglesection has a plurality of kinks.

15. The combination recited in claim 14 wherein said EYF iEPEYEQYY BEI'?sssli base.p ra i ofkin UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Inventor(s) Chard g et a]. o

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 6, line 2, "not curved" should be (not Shown) Column 7, line 2,after "I insert and I Signed and sealed this 4th day of February 1975(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents USCOMM-DC 60376P69 u.s. oovzmmzm PRINTING OFFICE: 8 93 F ORMPO-105O (10-69)

1. In combination, with a rolling rail vehicle of the type having wheelsfor riding on a track and rolling free of the engine, such as in arailroad classification yard, the improvement which comprises: a firstcurved wiggle section having generally parallel rails connected to saidtrack as a continuation of said track; said first curved wiggle sectionbending away from one side of said center line of said track and thenbending back to said center line of said track; a reverse curved wigglesection having generally parallel rails connected to said first curvedwiggle section as a continuation of said first curved wiggle section;said reverse curved wiggle section bending away from the other side ofsaid center line of said track and then bending back to said center lineof said track; so that the pressure of the flanges of the wheels of saidvehicle on the rails of said track section; the skewing of the trucks ofsaid vehicle; and the varying of the location of the pressure of thebearings of said vehicle on the axle of said vehicle; retard theacceleration of said vehicle while said vehiCle moves through saidwiggle section.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said trackis straight.
 3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track iscurved.
 4. The combination recited in claim 1 and having another trackconnected to said reverse curved wiggle section.
 5. The combinationrecited in claim 4 wherein said other track is straight.
 6. Thecombination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track is curved. 7.The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is on a levelgrade.
 8. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is on anincline.
 9. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said track is onan upgrade.
 10. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said tracksection is on a level grade.
 11. The combination recited in claim 1wherein said track section is on an incline.
 12. The combination recitedin claim 4 wherein said other track is on a level grade.
 13. Thecombination recited in claim 4 wherein said other track is on anincline.
 14. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said firstcurved wiggle section has a plurality of kinks.
 15. The combinationrecited in claim 14 wherein said reverse curved wiggle section has aplurality of kinks.